Adductor pollicis

Muscle parts

Oblique head; Transverse head

Latin name

Musculus adductor pollicis

Latin muscle parts

Caput obliquum; Caput transversum

Group

Hand muscle – thenar group

Etymology

In English, this muscle’s name is the muscle that leads the thumb toward (the palm). Adductor is a term that describes the function or action of the muscle. It literally means to draw or to lead toward and is derived from the Latin ad meaning “toward” and ducere meaning “to lead or to draw.”The Latin pollex meaning “thumb” arises from the Latin polleo meaning “to be strong,” as the thumb was the strongest of the fingers.

Origin

Transverse head – palmar, distal half of the shaft of the 3rd metacarpal bone.Oblique head – capitate bone and the base of the 2nd and 3rd metacarpal bones.

Insertion

Ulnar side of the base of the proximal phalanx of the thumb (the tendon contains a sesamoid bone).

Action

Adduction of the thumb.

Nerve supply

Ulnar nerve (C8 and T1)

Blood supply

Branches from the deep palmar arch; muscular branches of the radial artery - the princeps pollicis and radialis indicis arteries.